the scents of rain on dry earth
by thelittleglaceon
Summary: Niles, perhaps, only meant to tease the young princess. Get a rise, maybe a bright flush, out of his dear, naive Kamui. She was easy enough to taunt like that. Although, he can certainly say he wasn't expecting what would happen afterwards. (Niles/F!Kamui)
**(a.n: so i've never married niles before... (at least, not as a female...) so i hope his character isn't too ooc.**

 **this fanfiction is also dedicated to a really good friend of mine! she like loves niles so like you better like this i hope? (please love it, mallorie, im so scared you'll hate it) (but be honest with me pls))**

"Lady Kamui, I've heard you have called for me?" The gentle sound of a door opening, along with the sing-song pattern of Niles' soft voice, swiftly interrupted the young princess's thoughts. She turned her head slightly to view her brother's trusted retainer.

Although a small smile was hinted on her face, she ultimately looked helplessly confused, "I... I did?"

Niles tried to hide a teasing laugh as he pulled up a chair next to the princess and sat next to her. It was only then when Niles' realized the somewhat somber mood Kamui carried around her. She had a large quilt wrapped around her small frame, looking whimsically outside the window which was ajar.

They sat together in the empty solar, and Niles' found himself questioning just exactly why the young princess was all alone such as this. Surely Camilla would be doting on her, perhaps even Xander would be lecturing her on the " _importance of sword fighting"_.

Correct?

Well, if it was, he surely wouldn't have been thinking such things. Perhaps he should just come out and ask her what was going on. Her siblings were all in the fortress, a rare occasion, so why was she not out communicating with them? Niles was never known to keep his tongue shut, it wouldn't be that odd if he just _asked._ The question was if it would be rude to do so.

The sky was beginning to darken, a few remnants of the sun were just barely seen throughout the clouds. If it started raining, would Kamui close the window?

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Niles," Kamui turned her gaze back to the view of the garden, "I didn't mean to call for anyone..."

"Would you like me to leave then, milady?" Niles hated using that word for Kamui, deciding he'd try to use other teasing nicknames for the small girl.

She, surprisingly, shook her head no, "If you'd like to..."

"But I think we haven't got much time alone together before, have we?" She smiled softly, "Perhaps I'm just an immature princess, but I'd like to get to know all of you better. My s-siblings and even their retainers."

Niles raised an eyebrow, "Why the stuttering, Kamui?"

Her smile quickly faded, replaced by a worried look in her eyes.

"I..." She shook her head, "No, I wouldn't want to bother you with such aimless manners."

"Do tell," Niles said, intrigued by the sudden gossip, "I'm a retainer, after all. It's my duty to serve the royal family in any way possible."

"...Please do not tell my siblings I've said so," Kamui started, sighing deeply, "But I've felt misplaced between all of them. I don't feel like I really... Belong, I suppose. Even Father doesn't allow me to visit the capital... I've never met my Mother before. I can't help but wonder if I was just, perchance, a simple fool of a child? A... _Mistake?_ "

"A mistake, my dear Kamui?" Niles shook his head, "I would not say so. I can see why you think you're misplaced, however. Your silver hair doesn't compare to the natural blonde of their Nohrian royal family, save for Camilla. Your crimson eyes have no reason as well. I've bet the other siblings have had that idea slip through their head before."

Kamui looked heartbroken, "N-Niles? Do you really think that?"

Niles let out a soft laugh, "I do, but it is not a fact that I know. A fact that I do know, dearest Kamui, is that you are part of the Nohrian family. Leo, Xander, Elise, and Camilla are apart of your family, correct? Garon is your Father. Do you really need to know anymore than that?"

"Are you not satisfied with your the family you have at this moment, princess?" Niles ended, slouching into the wooden chair slightly.

She took a second before responding.

"I love them all," Kamui's voice was raspy, somewhat melancholic, "I suppose, with that knowledge, there isn't much more that I should need to know."

Niles nodded, "Good princess! I'm glad to see that your naivety hasn't completely blinded you."

"That leaves to my other question..." Niles continued on, "Why aren't you with said family? Don't you get to only see them every month or so? Leo, I'm quite sure, would enjoy his elder sister's company."

"I've felt ill today," Kamui offered, an obvious lie, "I hope they understand."

Niles suddenly felt an urge to tease the naive princess, and moved his face closer to Kamui's - their faces only mere inches away.

"N-Niles?" Her voice squeaked, her face growing hot.

"Are you sure that's the reason, princess?" Niles' fingers trailed up her thigh slowly, feeling the soft fabric of the quilt on his fingertips, "Or was it so that some big, bad wolf would come here to capture you?"

The sound of rain began to fill their ears, a loud and demanding sound. A surge of cold air made Kamui apparently shiver, as Niles felt on his fingers. It wasn't quite clear to the archer, however, if that was the true reason why.

"I," Her voice was quiet, "I didn't mean-"

"What did you mean, Kamui?" Niles teased, his other hand moving to cup her chin, "Telling a man like myself all these dear secrets about yourself, asking him to keep it quiet from others... Lying to him about being ill... I should punish you for it all."

His light touches on her thigh suddenly turned into a full _squeeze_ , which the princess _deliciously_ squealed at.

"Niles?" Her voice had a tone he couldn't quite recognize, "What are you doing?"

Niles suddenly felt a small scent overwhelm his senses. Kamui seemed to have smelt it as well, as she inhaled deeply when it passed by the pair.

"It's just so fun to tease you!" Niles laughed, neither of his hands moving from her, "I could easily steal your first kiss right now, couldn't I?"

Kamui didn't make any movements to turn away from the retainer, instead she simply averted the heavy eye contact she contained with him.

"D-Do you know what petrichor means, Niles?"

Niles felt dumbfounded, making a strange sound in surprise.

Kamui laughed softly, the bright colors in her face making no efforts to disappear, "Petrichor! I was wondering if you, by chance, knew what the word meant?"

"I cannot say that I do," Niles said, feeling the warmth radiate from her small frame. His hands felt oddly warm, and he didn't want to admit that his face did as well.

"I think it's a lovely word," Kamui whispered.

"What does it mean then, dearest Kamui?" Niles whispered right back.

"I'll g-give you a hint, okay?" She smiled, returning eye contact with the archer, "It's something that's going on right now."

Niles' teasing smirk return, "Is it, perchance, arousal? Attraction? Lust?"

Kamui shook her head, "You're thinking in the wrong direction."

Niles' eyebrows furrowed.

"I suppose I'll tell you," Kamui said, suddenly leaning into the archer's touch - which was now cupping her cheek. Niles felt himself wonder how it had gotten there, "You might think I'm silly for saying it so randomly."

"It's a pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a period of warm and dry weather," the princess giggled, "Leo once told me of the word when we were s-studying. I've always wanted to use it, but there hasn't been any rainfall since then. But I suppose this isn't the correct time to do so now, is it?"

Niles smiled, "You're an odd princess."

"Perhaps I am," She turned her gaze away slightly in shyness, before returning it quickly back, "But are you not the one who's got your hands all over me?"

Maybe not quite unwillingly, but certainly not expected, Niles felt himself mirror the princess in front of him. He was sure it wasn't as blatant as she was, but a light blush began to run over his cheeks.

He laughed and shook his head, "Dear Kamui, gods, aren't you a teaser? At this point, you're going to make me _want_ to steal your first kiss."

Removing his hands from her face and her thigh, he placed his arms onto the arms of the chair. His laugh was subtle, overshadowed by the loud sounds of the rain.

Niles took a second to look out the window.

It was pouring crazily out there, only an inane man would dare to be caught out there in any circumstance. He, bittersweetly, finds himself remembering to be that crazy man only a few years prior. He shook his head whilst thinking so, sighing deeply.

He turned to gaze at the princess again, her silver hair slightly astray. Her crimson eyes shining with a sort of... Determination, he supposed.

Niles raised an eyebrow, "What do you have going through that brain of yours now, Kamui?"

She didn't reply, instead she placed her small hands onto Niles' broad shoulders and leaned into him quickly. It was unexpected by the taller party, if anything, when Kamui's soft lips reached his.

Perhaps he found himself a bit surprised when he kissed her right back, more deeply and intensely than the hesitant one Kamui had began with. He placed his hands on the small of her back and kissed her again, and again, and _again._

Her lips were quite soft, unchapped from humid weather like Niles' had been, and sweet. It reminded him of something sweet, akin to strawberries or another lovely fruit such as that. Kamui's hands removed themselves from his shoulders, a feeling Niles began to miss immediately, before they wrapped around him carefully.

Niles hummed against her lips, then breaking off the connection, and lifted her off of her chair effortlessly. Kamui made a squeal of surprise as Niles placed her on his lap, giving her a teasing smile in response to her wild blush.

"You're quite cute, Kamui," Niles said honestly to her, smiling wide.

Kamui blushed even brighter, if that could've been physically possible, and suddenly buried her face into the space between of his shoulders and his neck. Her breath slightly tickled his skin there.

For some reason, Niles felt the urge to wrap his arms around the small princess which he did so urgently and happily.

"Niles?" She said after a moment, "Can I, perchance, ask you a question now?"

"Perhaps," Niles teased, "If only I can ask you one in return."

"To whom do your affections belong to?" Kamui whispered, burying her face deeper into the archer's neck.

Niles laughed.

"And to whom do you think they belong to?" Niles asked in returned.

Kamui shook her head, "Niles? Perhaps you may call me naive, a child, a closeted princess... But..."

"I wish your affections may one day belong to me," Kamui's voice was soft, barely audible with the loud sounds of thunder in the background, "As mine do to you."

Niles laughed, rubbing her back in small, calculated circles. Cold wind filled the air around him, both of them, and it was a surprise to Niles that he just barely had felt the bitterness of it all. He should likely have closed it after the two of them were finished.

 _Petrichor?_ Niles thought to himself, _Perhaps... Kamui could-_

 _No. That's too cheesy._


End file.
